Forte Continues Reign Atop Derby Dozen

1. Forte  

Owner/Trainer: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable/Todd Pletcher

Pedigree: Violence  —Queen Caroline , by Blame   

Breeder: South Gate Farm (KY)

Last year's juvenile champion, 2-for-2 as a 3-year-old, figures to be a clear public choice at the betting windows in the Kentucky Derby (G1), with horseplayers backing him and also with a massive wager expected from Jim "Mattress Mack" Jim McIngvale. The latter, known for his sizable sports and horse-racing wagers, could bet $1 million or more on Forte to hedge on his Gallery Furniture promotion, in which folks get free furniture if the Derby favorite wins. Forte finished well in his first workout April 21 over the Churchill Downs surface, an in-company five-furlong move in 1:02 with a lively gallop out.

Watch #KyDerby favorite Forte breeze 5 furlongs in 1:02.00 pic.twitter.com/T4vzZZlWR0

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 21, 2023

2. Tapit Trice  

Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable/Todd Pletcher

Tapit  —Danzatrice , by Dunkirk  

Gainesway Thoroughbreds (KY)

He was also sharp in his workout this past Friday at Churchill Downs, covering four furlongs in company in :48 3/5 while in need of no encouragement from his rider. The Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and Blue Grass (G1) winner appears to be a progressive type and should continue to improve throughout 2023. His lengthy stride gives the appearance that he should relish the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Derby, but that optimism is tempered by him being a horse that can break slowly. Horses away poorly in a 20-horse field like the Derby need to have favorable racing luck to successfully catch up.

3. Angel of Empire  

Albaugh Family Stables/Brad Cox

Classic Empire  —Armony's Angel , by To Honor and Serve 

Forgotten Land Investment and Black Diamond Equine (PA)

Trainer Brad Cox seems excited about his chances in the Derby, and beyond that, in the Belmont Stakes (G1), the 1 1/2-mile race known as the Test of the Champion. A horse Cox described as "all legs" as a 2-year-old has grown into his frame at age 3, and like Tapit Trice looks like a colt with the potential for continued development. Flavien Prat sticks with this colt after also riding Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Kingsbarns  to victory this spring. Prat is a Derby winner, having won on Country House   upon the stewards disqualifying Maximum Security   in 2019 for interference.

4. Practical Move  

Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr., and Roger Beasley/Tim Yakteen

Practical Joke  —Ack Naughty , by Afleet Alex  

Chad Brown and Head of Plains Partners (KY)

For a horse coming off three consecutive graded stakes wins, there is not the pre-Derby buzz about him as one would expect. Perhaps that is due to him still training off site through this week at Santa Anita Park, his nose margin of victory in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), or his pedigree, being by Practical Joke, who ran most effectively at middle distances around one turn. The strengths this colt brings to the Derby are obvious: He can put himself into the race with a first-turn and backstretch advance, and having slipped up the fence in all three of his recent wins, he does not appear to be easily intimidated—a beneficial characteristic in a 20-horse Derby scramble.

5. Two Phil's   

Patricia's Hope and Phillip Sagan/Larry Rivelli

Hard Spun  —Mia Torri , by General Quarters 

Phillip Sagan (KY)

Though he has never scored above the grade 3 level, with his two stakes wins coming in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on synthetic at Turfway Park and the Street Sense Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs over a sloppy track, he appears classy. This winter at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, he was in front of subsequent Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Confidence Game  when second in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and just 2 3/4 lengths behind eventual Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire when third in the Risen Star Stakes (G2). He beat a legitimate rival in the Jeff Ruby in whipping two graded-winning turf horse Major Dude  by 5 1/4 lengths.

6. Verifying   

Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor/Brad Cox

Justify  —Diva Delite , by Repent  

Hunter Valley & Mountmellick Farm (KY)

The top-ranked Derby Dozen horse of those yet to win a stakes race, Verifying impressed Cox with his effort in the Blue Grass when second, beaten a neck by Tapit Trice. "I expected him to win the Blue Grass," the trainer said at Churchill Downs this past week. "I thought he ran a winning race (in defeat). He got beat by a very good horse." Pedigree enthusiasts are understandably drawn to this colt, who is by the 2018 Triple Crown winner and out of a dam who produced 2019 champion older dirt female Midnight Bisou .

Watch: Verifying Sharp in Training, Castellano Picks up Ride on Mage in Kentucky Derby

7. Derma Sotogake 

Hiroyuki Asanuma/Hidetaka Otonashi

Mind Your Biscuits —Amour Poesie , by Neo Universe  

Shadai Farm (JPN)

The recent addition of Jace's Road  to the Derby lineup with the defection of Blazing Sevens  adds some speed to what had appeared to be a relatively paceless Derby. This Japanese colt might still be the quickest early, having won the UAE Derby (G2) on the lead. But it is no easy thing for a 3-year-old to ship from Dubai to the United States and experience success. No UAE Derby participants have hit the board in the Derby in 18 attempts. But he has already proven he can ship a long distance and run effectively. Japanese horsemen are also adept at winning on the international stage.

8. Kingsbarns

Spendthrift Farm/Todd Pletcher

Uncle Mo  —Lady Tapit , by Tapit 

Parks Investment Group (KY)

A hustling ride put him on the lead in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby, ahead of Jace's Road, and in command through soft fractions, he rolled to a comfortable victory over Disarm , subsequently third in the Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. Horses exiting stakes from Fair Grounds this winter have done well elsewhere, with Confidence Game , Angel of Empire, and Two Phil's capturing graded stakes in follow-up starts. This colt, who also won his two earlier starts in Florida, has shown the versatility to also rate just off fast fractions when needed. 

9. Confidence Game  

Don't Tell My Wife Stables/Keith Desormeaux

Candy Ride  —Eblouissante , by Bernardini

Summer Wind Equine (KY)

After a mile workout in 1:38 1/5 April 14, he is set to receive a bit more recovery time for his next breeze, expected to come about a week before the May 6 Derby. The stiff mile drill was designed to leave him fit for the Derby, which will mark his first start in 70 days since his victory in the Feb. 25 Rebel at Oaklawn. No horse has won a horse won a modern Derby contested in the spring after more than 42 days off, though Authentic   won the COVID-19 postponed Derby in September 2020 after 49 days away. Regret and Sir Barton took the Derby long, long ago after more than eight months off in 1915 and 1919, respectively.

10. Mage  

OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing, and CMNWLTH/Gustavo Delgado

Good Magic  —Puca , by Big Brown   

Grandview Equine (KY)

Javier Castellano, who had been reportedly booked to ride longshot Raise Cain , will now be aboard this colt, who ranks as a Kentucky Derby contender. The Hall of Fame rider is winless in 15 Derby rides, with his best finish being a third from Audible   in 2018. He lands a prime mount on this lightly raced colt, who ran a wide, slow-starting second behind Forte in the Florida Derby. If this colt can avoid another troubled break in the Derby—he also was away slowly when fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2)—he may be able to close the necessary gap on Forte and the other top prospects.

11. Hit Show 

Gary and Mary West/Brad Cox

Candy Ride—Actress , by Tapit 

Gary and Mary West Stables (KY)

Gary and Mary West, whose Maximum Security was disqualified from first and placed 17th for interference in the 2020 Derby, are back in the Derby for the first time with another homebred. They also campaigned this colt's dam, Actress , winner of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) and Comely Stakes (G3) in 2017. A blowout winner of the Withers Stakes (G3) in February, Hit Show was subsequently second in the April 8 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack in his only other start this year. Last fall in his sole start at Churchill Downs, he ran fourth behind Confidence Game and Rocket Can  in an allowance optional claimer.

12. Skinner  

C R K Stable/John Shirreffs

Curlin  —Winding Way , by Malibu Moon  

Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY)

He moved one spot closer to entry this weekend when Blazing Sevens was removed from Derby consideration, but as of April 25, he still needs one defection to gain a starting berth due to the Derby being capped at 20 horses. Trainer John Shirreffs told Santa Anita Park publicity the colt may not ship to Kentucky if chances of making the race remain up in the air. On the basis of speed and performance figures, this colt is fast enough to contend. He was a wide third in both the San Felipe Stakes (G2) and Santa Anita Derby, both of which were run in quick time.